Optical spectroscopy and luminescence quenching of LuI3:Ce3+

Abstract Optical spectroscopy of LuI 3 doped with Ce 3 + using ultraviolet and visible light excitation is reported. LuI 3 host excitation and emission and 4f–5d excitation and emission of Ce 3 + are observed. An empirical model based on crystal field splitting was used to estimate the energy of the highest 4f–5d excitation band. The crystal field splitting and centroid shift were compared to those of LuCl 3 : Ce 3 + and LuBr 3 : Ce 3 + . Temperature dependence of X-ray excited luminescence spectra shows thermal quenching, whereas that of the decay curve of Ce 3 + emission excited at the lowest 5d band of Ce 3 + does not indicate the presence of quenching of Ce 3 + emission for temperature below 625 K. The quenching in LuI 3 : Ce 3 + therefore occurs before the 5d Ce 3 + emission takes place.